The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 222: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

216 “What do you mean?” } r “1 only wish to ask you one question, that’s all, “What is it 2” “Will you tell me the truth if I swear to act your friend through thick and thin ?” “ T will.” _ “Then your name is——”’ «¢ Smith,” said Warner. ‘Ha, ha; Smith, eh; well that’s good and no mistake.” _“Tt’s the truth, though.” ‘© No it ain’t.” « How do vou know ?”’ “T have good reasons for knowing it. Your name is Warner.” ~ At the bare mention of his own name the villain’s lips trembled, He raised the poker in an instant. “No, no, none of that here, Mr. Doctor,” said the rustic ; “ for two can play at that game, you see.” And, as he spoke, he suddenly displayed a six- barrelled revolver. : ‘© Now listen to me,” said the rustic, coolly, “you -don’t know me, but I do know you. Ha, ha, strange, ain't it?” ‘Why did you call me doctor for, then ?” “Because you are very clever in attending on sick people who have got lots of money to leave their nephews ; look’at Ford, the old chap as you——”’ Ff-yes-h'!”) said» Warner, sinking in a, chair, hu-s-s-h ; I perceive you know all. Iam undone.” _ No you ain’t, if you promise me one thing.” “ And what is that?” ‘©Go up-stairs, wash yourself, and have a shave ; you'll find everything at hand ready for use, and more than that, look into the cupboard and you'll see plenty of clothes of all sorts and sizes, help yourself, and don’t come down again until I whistle.” T will.” “Then do it quick. Bolt the door after you, and if you should hear any men snoring in bed, don’t mind them, they are pals of mine,” ‘‘ But the light ?” “ No one can see you ; the room is formed right under the roof. You'll find a dark lantern burning. Up that ladder with you; quick,I say. Let the trap-door down gently again. Quick, I hear your pursuers approaching.” Warner did not wait to be told a second time, He ran up the ladder and disappeared. Directly he had done so, the rustic took away the ladder, and, opening a cellar-door, dropped it in, and closed the aperture. “T hear them coming,” said the rustic, ‘“ The dogs are howling awfully ; but Warner is safe this time ; he’s a clever rascal, and will serve me after this as faithfully as a dog. If he don’t Pll kill him !” As the rustic thus thought, loud raps were heard at his cottage door. Dogs were growling and sniffing outside ; but the rustic did not speak. Again the knocks were repeated, and more loudly than ever. ‘Come in,” said the rustic, gruffly. ‘Open the door !’’ ‘Tt is open.” “Tt is not. Open the door at once, Zoe, or we'll burst it open.” ‘Oh ! you will,eh? Then burst away, you can’t do much harm,” a True to their word, the servants from the Hall, and others, broke open the door, and tumbled headlong into the cabin, dogs and all, j oC bon AV 67 THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. EE —————————————— eee CHAPTER LXXXVI. FRANK CONTINUES HIS JOURNAL—THE BEAR FIGHT—HOW THE GALLANT YOUTH FOUGHT WITH BRUIN—THE VICTORY—THE BOYS CON- TINUE THEIR JOURNEY THROUGH THE WIL- . DERNESS—THE WAGGON TRAIN STOPS AT A VILLAGE ON THE SAN FERNANDO RIVER TO RECRUIT THEIR HORSES, OXEN, AND MULES— A GREAT PIGEON HUNT. “ WHEN the bear rushed away into the thick under- srowth in the forest, prudence would have taught me not to follow him. “ But Pedro’s taunts aroused me, and rifle in hand, 1 darted after the beast. “For some time I could not track him; but could. plainly hear the huge monster trampling down the herbage and small shrubs. “T wanted to get a good look at him ; but could not, ; ‘“‘T was so much excited that I had no notion of how the time was passing, and less idea of how far I had gone from our camp. ‘At last I caught sight of the bear. “He was facing me, and his eyes glared most savagely. “T leaned against a tree, and took deliberate aim, “T discharged my rifle, and saw the bear fall, and give a most horrible growl. ““T knocked him over that time,’ thought I, and pulling my empty rifle against a tree, ran forward. ‘* But judge of my horror. “The bear had been wounded, and the blood was flowing from him, ‘But unexpectedly he rose on his hind legs, and with his fore legs was sparringat me like a fighting man, ‘‘T was so surprised for a moment that I knew not what todo. ““T was then only about five feet from the monster. “1 dare not turn back, or he would have been upon me in an instant. “ His eyes rolled savagely. “ His jaws were clotted with blood from his wound in the head, and his white teeth glistened like ivory. ‘He was snorting, and each instant approached me still nearer and nearer. ‘My situation was most critical. “Thad nothing with me but my hunting knife and my revolver, all the chambers of which were empty save one / ‘More than all, I was far away from all my com- panions, ‘It was a case of life or death for one or both of us, NOW READY, THE BOY SAILOR; ' OR, LIFE, ON BOARD A MAN-OF-WAR. A most interesting and powerfully-writien Tale, to be completed in about 30 Numbers. 2 with No. 1, and a LARGE EN- GRAVING, GRATIS. No. ——-- ee er,<$ FO ————————————— GEomicboo <SiGO) ffl)